Primary Politics: Should Illinois Come First in 2024?

On the heels of the Iowa caucuses debacle, Illinois leaders are trying to rally support for the state to hold the first presidential primary in 2024.

“If you’re looking for a state whose people represent the diversity of America, look no further than Illinois,” Gov. J.B. Pritzker tweeted last week. “It’s time for the most representative state in the country to be the first in the nation.”

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“I look forward to working with other elected officials and the party to change the calendar so that Illinois’ primary comes first in the nominating process in the 2024 presidential election,” Pritzker said in a statement the following day.

But at a press conference Monday, Illinois’ senior senator, Dick Durbin, called the pursuit a longshot.

“Iowa and New Hampshire are determined to have a primary in two years in advance if necessary to always be first. So, I like the notion of Illinois being part of the decision process early on but we’ll never, never ever, be the first in line,” he said.

That holds true, Paral says, despite an exodus of people from black and brown communities in Chicago.

“Illinois is demographically more dynamic. The state is losing African Americans but there is also influx of Latinos,” he said.

David Greising, president and CEO of the Better Government Association, says Illinois’ long, sordid history with corrupt politicians is just one of the obstacles to the state holding the first presidential primary.

“The elephant in the room is the rampant corruption,” said Greising. “The corruption issue would create problems for the National Democratic Party. So that’s a non-starter.”